Conveying device.



J. E. JOHNSON & C. H. OSLUND.

CONVEYING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 22 m5.

Patented Nov. 6, 19H.

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'J. E. JOHNSON & C H. OSLUND.

CONVEYING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.-22. I9I5.

Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

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Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

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CONVEYING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 22; 1915.

J. E. JOHNSON & C. H. OSLUND. 1

CONVEYING DEVlCE. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 22. 19:5.

a m mm Mi v n. E m d m m UNITED sTATEs PATENT onFioE.

JOHN EMANUEL JOHNSON AND CHARLES H. OSLUND, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHU- SETTS, .ASSIGNORS TO 0 & J MACHINE C0,, 015 WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A

CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

, CONVEYING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented N 0V. 6, 191 '7.

Original application filed June 11, 1914, Serial No. 844,553. Divided and this application filed October 22, 1915. Serial No. 57,348.

patent on a rotaiy labeling machine, filed June 11, 1914, Serial'No. 844,553.

This invention relates to a conveying device capable of general use for the purpose of supplying articles to and taking them from a machine in which operations are performed on them, and especially adapted for feeding bottles to and from a horizontal rotary labeling machine.

Reference is to be had to the ing drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan of part of a rotary labeling machine having a conveyer construct ed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan on enlarged scale of a portion of the feed mechanism with the parts in another position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the parts thereof; I

Flg. 4 is a horizontal section on enlarged scale of a portion of the feed mechanism;

v Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the feed mechanism. I Fig. 6 is a plan showing details of the driving means therefor;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of the feed mechanism on enlarged scale on the line 77 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side elevation thereof;

accompaany- Fig. 9 is a plan of a portion thereof-on cal shaft 41.

- equal number of crates a horizontal shaft 44 mounted in bearing brackets on the frame. The connection of the motor with the shaft is controlled by a clutch 45 adapted to be thrown in and out by means of a handle 46. On this shaft- 44 is a bevel pinion 47 operating a downwardly facing bevel gear 48 fixed to a verti- Consequently when the clutch is connected the motor will constantly rotate the shaft. A main rotary table 40 is mounted on the top of the vertical shaft 41 and capable of being turned withthis shaft. The table is located in horizontal position and has a horizontal fiat surface around its circumference for receiving the bottles or other articles.

Near the opposite end of the shaft 44 is a bevel pinion 52 meshin with two pinions 53. These are mounte on two horizontal shafts 54 and 55 respectively. These shafts are supported by a vertical stand 56 cai'ried a cam groovefor receiving a-plurality of rollers, in this instance three. These rollers are mounted on arms 64 which are pivoted on studs carried-by the head. To these arms are fixed gear segments 66,,each of which is adapted to mesh .with a gear segment 67 fixed to another vert'ical stud also carried by the head.

This gear segment is provided with anarm 68 having a spring-pressed plunger 69 thereon. Also carried by the head are an jaws 70 cotiperating with the plunger 69 for the purpose of holding the bottles. The jaws 70 and arms ,68 project through slots in the cylindrical wall of the head. Each of these jaws 70 is pivoted on I a vertical stud on the head and is adapted to be brought back to a definite position against a rear sto this Way three sets of jaws are provided for taking the bottles from a convenient position and placing them on the rotary table. Each set consists, preferably, of two jaws 70 and one plunger 69. 1

In order to supply the bottles to this feed device an endless conveyer is shown. This surface 71 by a spring 7 2. In

comprises a conveyer frame 74 removably fixed to the base Q2 and supporting an endless belt 75 running over pulleys 76 and supported by rollers 77 carried by the conveyel' frame 74. The belt is provided with tighteners 79 and is operated by gearing from the end of the shaft 44:.

The rollers 77 and the other mechanism controlling the feed belt are mounted directly on the edges of a channel iron 80 which is adapted to rest on the frame 74t'and constitutes part thereof. Consequently the feed device constitutes a mechanism capable of being manufactured and assembled separately from the rest of the machine and having no parts projecting overthe labeling machine proper except the parts necessary for carrying the bottles to it and removing them therefrom. This channel is closed at the ends and is provided with a drain outlet 81 to direct any liquid away from the belt. On this channel iron 80 are vertical guides 82 at each side of the feed belt adapted to guide the bottles andnecessitate their being placed on the belt in such position that the same will carry them along to the rotary feeding arrangement which has just been described. The guide at the side from which the bottles are applied is discontinued for a certain distance, so that the bottles may be placed thereon from that side up against the guide on the other side without any special attention being directed to the position in which they are placed.

F or the purpose of insuring thepresentation of the bottles one at a time to the rotary headv 60 the gear 58 carries a series of cams 83 on the top thereof adapted to engage a roller 83 and operate a rod 84: which is connected with one arm of a bellcranl; 85. The other arm of this bell-crank is provided with a stop 86 and as there are as many cam projections 83 on the gear as there are pairs of jaws on the head 60, and as .they are placed "in 'proper position for that operation, the rod 8 will be lifted and the stop 86 withdrawn once for each operation of a pair of feeding aws. These parts are so tim-edg that this will occur just after a bottle has been fed along by these jaws. F or example, in the position shown in Fig. l the stop 86 has'just been withdrawn and brought back into place to stop the third bottle shown. To assist the feeding of the bottles a fixed plate 87 is. provided projecting out into the guide way overthe belt and adjacent to the head 60. Thus, when a bottle A comes up against this projection it is stopped against further motion forward on the belt. However, on account of the angle of this plate 87 it will be forced over to the opposite side of the carrier where it comes against a flexible stop 88 and is held the position shown in Fig. 2 until positively removed therefrom. When is enmam around by the head 60 it again passes over the belt and on a platform 90, and from this to the rotary table d0. These parts are all in the same plane.

The removal of the bottles from the rotary table 40 is still simpler. The other bevel pinion 53 is mounted on the shaft 54. which by means of a bevel pinion 93 thereon drives a gear 94 on a vertical shaft 95 on the stand 56. This vertical shaft is provided with a rotary head 96 and on studs 97 carried thereby are pivoted a series of bell cranks, each comprising an arm 98 having a roller 99 thereon and two jaws 100.

These jaws project out through slots in the vertical walls of the head. Mounted in fixed position on the stand 56,'but centered with respect to the shaft 95, is a grooved cam 101 in which the rollers 99 operate. The jaws 100 therefore come around in time to engage a bottle on the table 40 as that is rotating and the action of the cam is such that the jaw is then quickened in its motion so as to slide the bottle forward fasterthan the table is moving and move it on the other end of the platform 90, from there over the belt on a fixed platform 102, like the platform. 89, and then on the belt which is in the same plane as the platforms 90 and 102 and the table 40. While the bottle is passing on the belt the aw 100 is retracted so that it will not come in the way of the bottle and so that it will leave the bottle in position on the belt. These parts and also the parts carried by the head 60 are surrounded by casings 103 also acting as guides.

The bottles, when fed to the fiat part of the table in the manner which has been described, are brought in front of a series of lugs or brackets 108 fixed on the table against which the bottles are adapted to be registered just as soon as they reach the table and by which they are positively carried along. I

We will now describe the operation of the machine as a whole.

The motor 48 being in operation the operator is at liberty to manipulate the starting lever 46 to throw in the clutch -i-5 and start the shafts t1, 4:4, and 100. This results in the first place in rotating the table at a rapid but uniform speed. Bottles 3%. are placed by hand or in any other de way upon the feed belt 75 at the l 1 and as they move up toward tn.

device 60 the stop 86 is operated automati-.

cally to allow one bottle at a time to be engaged by this feeding device. This feeding device as it rotates engages a bottle supported by the belt and located between the parts 87 and 88 and positively moves it around through more than a half circle as has been described already. This operation is performed positively by the jaws 70, but the bottle is also engaged by the springpressed plunger 69 on the other jaw. The bottle is applied in this manner to the rotating table which rotates at a higher speed in feet per minute than the jaws 70. Consequently the bottle will be carried along by, the tablel lhestud 114 moves around with the table and consequently if it engages the surface ofthe jaw 70 it will onlyswing it in opposition to the spring 72 and do no damage. From this point the bottle which has just been gripped by the bottle grip 116 moves along positively with the table until it is unclamped and then engaged by one of the jaws 100 and moved off the table in the manner which has previously been described.

Although we have illustrated and described only one form of the several features of this invention, we are aware of theEfact that many modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore we do not wish to be limited to all thedetails of construction herein shown and described, but what we do claim is 1. In a feed device, the combination with.

a carrier to which the articles are to be fed, of a rotary headhaving a series of sets of jaws locat'ed'in position to move over the carrier as the head rotates, means for controlling one jaw of each set, the other jaw of each set being movably mounted on the head and having a stop for preventing its rearward motion beyond a certain point, and yielding means for permitting it to move forward and for drawing it back to its limitin position. i

2. In a eed device, the combination with a carrier to which the articles are to be fed, of a rotary head having a series of sets of jaws located in position to move over the carrier as the head rotates, a stationary cam for controlling one jaw of each set, means operated by said cam for moving one jaw of each set, theother jaw of each set being pivotally mounted on the head and having a stop for; preventing its rearward motion beyond ,a certain point, and yielding means for. permitting it to move forward and for drawing it back to its limiting position.

3. In a feed device, the combination of a rotary head, a stationary cam, a lever having means whereby it is turned by said cam as the head rotates, the lever being mounted -.on the head, said lever having gear teeth thereon, a jaw pivotally mounted on the rearward limiting position, the other jaw being located in' advance of the first jaw and mounted to swing on a pivot on'the head, and means whereby as the head rotates the second jaw is first drawn back toward the center of the head so that the first jaw can engage an article located adjacent to the circumference of the head and whereby the second jaw is thereafter brought back to clamp the article between it and the first jaw, whereby the article is carried around the head. I

5. In a feed device, the combination with a rotary head, of a air of pivoted jaws thereon, one of said aws being located in advance of the first jaw and mounted to swing on apivot on the head, and means whereby, as the head rotates, the second jaw is first drawn back toward the center of the head so that the first jaw can engage an article located adjacent to the circumference of the head and whereby the second jaw is thereafter brought back to clamp the article between it and the first jaw, a rotary table in position for receiving the article thus carried by the jaws, means on the ro tary table for clamping the article thereto, and means for movin the surface of the table on which the article is deposited at a higher linear speed than the article is moved by the head. 6. In a feed device, the combination with a rotary head, of a air of pivoted jaws thereon, one of said jaws being yieldingly held in its rearward'limiting position, the other jaw being located in advance of the first jaw and mounted to swing on a pivot on the head, means whereby as the head rotates the second jaw is first brought back toward the center of the head so that the first jaw can engage an article located adjacent to the circumference of the head, and whereby the second jaw is thereafter brought back to clamp the article between it and the first jaw, a support in position for receiving the article thus carried by the jaws, means on the support for clamping the article thereto, means for moving the, surface of the support on which the article is deposited at a higher linear sped than the article is moved one of said jaws being located in advance of the first jaw, means whereby as the head rotates the second jaw is first brought back toward the center of the head so that the first jaw can engage an article located adjacent to the circumference of the head, and whereby the second jaw is thereafter brought back to clamp the article between it and the first jaw, a support in position for receiving the article thus carried by the jaws, and means whereby after the article is placed on the support the second jaw is drawn back positively from it to allow it to pass.

8: The combination of a movable table, a rotary feeding device at the edge thereof, said feeding device having sets of clamping arms arranged and adapted to feed articles resting on surfaces in the plane of said table, means for rotating said feeding device at a linear speed less than the linear speed of the points on thetable on which the articles rest, means whereby when an article is fe'd thereby on the table it 'is clamped to the table, and a rotary device for removing the articles from the table.

9. The combination with a movable table, of an endless conveyer for feeding articles thereto, comprising an endless belt, a guard located at the side of the endless belt for keeping the articles thereon, a rotary carrier having jaws adapted to project over said endless belt for gripping articles thereon and conveying them to the table, said guide having a projection adjacent to said carrier on the side thereof toward the table for stopping the articles.

10. The combination with a movable table, of an endless conveyer for feeding articles thereto, comprising an endless belt, a guard located at the side of the endless belt for keeping the articles thereon, a rotary carrier having jaws adapted to project over said endless belt for gripping articles thereon and conveying thein to the table, said guide having a projection adjacent to said carrier on the side thereof towardthe tablefor stopping the articles, and a flexible stop on the oppositev side of the conveyer for holdin the articles in position to be engaged T the carrier and moved positively thereby past said flexible stop. I

11. The combination with a movable table, of an endless conveyer for feeding articles thereto, a guard located at the side of the endless conveyer for keepin thereon, a rotary carrier having means for engaging articles, gripping them, and positively conveying them to the table, and a flexible stop on the opposite side of the conveyer for holding the articles in position to be engaged by the carrier and moved positively thereby past said flexible stop.

12. The combination with a rotary table, of a feed device therefor comprising an endthe articles less belt in a position substantially tangent to the edge of the table, means for running the belt, guides located at the feed end of the belt whereby articles can be placed on the belt and will be fed along thereby, and a rotary feeding device having means for gripping the articles one at a time positive y carrying them continuously forward from the belt, and applying them to the tableby a motion in the direction in which the table is moving.

1-3. The combination with a rotary table, of an endless conveyer located adjacent thereto, and a rotatable carrier head between the table andconveyer for taking articles from the table and applying them to the conveyer, said carrier. head having a serles of arms movably mounted thereon and rotatable therewith, a stationary cam, and means whereby said cam operates each arm to move it forward faster than the head to tates when the arm projects over the table for the purpose of removing an article v therefrom.

14. The combination with a horizontal ro-' tary table for supporting articles, and an endless conveyer for removing the articles, of a carrier head rotatably mounted between the table and conveyer and having a plurality of arms swingingly mounted thereon, means for rotating said carrier head at a surface speed less than the surface speed of the table, and means for swinging said arms on the carrier head to give them a speed greater than the speed of the table when they project over the table for the purpose of removing the articles therefrom.

15: The combination witha horizontal rotary table for supporting articles, and an endless conveyer for removing the articles, of a carrier head rotatably mounted and having a plurality of arms mounted thereon, means for rotating said carrier head at a surface speed less than the surface speed of the table, and means for swinging said arms on the carrier head to give them a speed greater than the speed of the table when they project over the table for the purpose of removing the articles therefrom and ap plying them to the conveyer, and for retracting said arms relatively to the head when they deposit the articles on the conveyer.

16. The combination with a rotary table, of an endless conveyer located substantially tangent to the edge of the table for feeding articles thereto, and a rotary feeding device located in the angle between the conveyer and table having means for gripping articles on the conveyer rotating them forward in the general direction in which they are being moved by the conveyer and swinging them around, during the rotation of said feeding device, on the table and leaving them on the table, the direction of motion of the feeding device and table at the point at which the articles are left on the table being substantially the same, whereby the direction of motion of the articles is changed by the rotation of the feeding device and is not materially altered at the time of taking the articles from the conveyer or applying them to the table. I

17. In a device of the character described, the combination with a rotary table and a substantially tangent endless conveyer, of a rotary head, the receiving side of which moves forward from the conveyer in the same general direction as the conveyer is moving, and the delivery side of which is arranged to move forward in the same general direction as a correspondingspot on the table, a pair of jaws thereon, one of said jaws being mounted to swing about a pivot on the head, and means whereby as the head rotates said pivoted jaw is first drawn back toward the center of? the head to permit an article located adjacent to the circumference of the head to come into contact with the other jaw, and whereby the pivoted jaw is thereafter brought back to clamp the article between it and the other jaw so that it can be carried around with the head as it rotates.

thereto, and a rotatable carrier head located between the table and conveyor for taking articles from the conveyer and applying them to the table, said carrier head having a series of arms movably mounted thereon but rotatable therewith, and means for operating each of-said arms to move forward faster than the head rotates when the arm projects over the table to draw it away from an article held thereby and leave said article on the table.

19. The combination with an endless. conveyer and a rotary table, of a shaft between them, a feeding head having sets of relatively movable jaws mounted on said shaft, means for moving said jaws as the head rotates, a number of cams on said shaft equal to the number of sets of jaws, and a lever operated by said cams and having a stop in position to be projected over said conveyer near said head to temporarily stop the articles on the conveyer.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

JOHN EMANUEL JOHNSON. CHARLES H. OSLUND. 

